SAN FRANCISCO – (INT) - With less than 5-months until California voters go to the polls, a wild card could be lurking to challenge the front-running presidential candidates.

Among the Democrats, Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden, and Bernie Sanders lead by a wide margin. However, many voters say they would consider supporting a candidate other than their current choice. Those are among the key findings of a statewide survey released by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC).

Likely voters identifying as registered Democrats or as Democratic-leaning independents support Elizabeth Warren (23%), Joe Biden (22%), and Bernie Sanders (21%) at levels well above Kamala Harris (8%) and Pete Buttigieg (6%). However, among voters with a candidate preference, more than half (53%) would consider supporting another candidate.

Less than half view the candidates’ performance in the five primary debates as important in determining their preference.

Among all Californians, about one-third (30% adults, 35% likely voters) approve of the job President Trump is doing, with wide partisan divisions. The president’s approval ratings were similar in January 2019 and last September.

Story Date: October 10, 2019